Line-stretcher.



PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

A. P. FERGUSON. LINE STRETC HERL APPLICATION FILED MAR; 7. 1906.

Iwrewtor.

dink/31mm 22 122 Wdmases ARCHIBALD P. FERGUSON, OF POUAHONTAS, VIRGINIA.

LINE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed March 7,1906. Serial No. 304.784.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, AnoHIBALD PETER FERGUSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Pocahontas, in the county of Tazewell andState of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLine-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inline-stretchers; and the invention has for its primary object theprovision of novel means for easily, quickly, and effectually stretchinga line between two points or objects.

The invention is primarily intended as a Wire-stretcher and may be usedfor stretching fence-wire, telegraph-wires, or temporarily stretchingthe wires of a piano. To this end I have devised positive and reliablemeans for gripping a wire to be stretched, said means embodyingangular-shaped members, which besides holding a wire are adapted to gripor engage the objects between which a wire is stretched. One of themembers is providedwith a manually-o eratecl revoluble spool-carryingpart of the ine or wire to be stretched, while the other one of saidmembers is attached to the free or loose end of the The detailconstruction of the gripping members of my improved line-stretcher willbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and, referring to thedrawings accompanying this application, like numerals of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1n whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the linestretchers, illustrating themembers thereof gripping posts between which a line is to be stretched.Fig. 2 is a plan of the gripping members. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view ofone of the sides of one of said members, and Fig. 4) is a view of theopposite side of said memer. I

To put my invention into practice, Iconstruct my improved line-stretcherof two angular-shaped gripping members 1 and 2, each member consistingof a shank portion 3, having a right-angular extension 4. The shankportion 3 of the member 1 is provided with an opening 5, transversely ofwhich is journaled a shaft 6, carrying a fixed spool or reel 7 withinthe opening 5 of the member 1. The shaft 6 extends outwardly upon theone side of the member 1 and is provided with aratchet or toothed wheel8, also an operating crank handle or lever 9. Mounted upon the side ofthe member 1, adjacent to the ratchet or toothed wheel 8, is a resilientdog 10, nor mally engaging one of the teeth of the ratchet or toothedwheel 8. Pivotally mounted upon the side of the member 1, above theresilient dog, is a lever 11, said lever being manually operated toengage the resilient dog to move said dog out of engagement with theratchet or toothed wheel 8 of the member 1. The opposite side of themember 1 is provided with an angularly-disposed opening 12, the one endof which communicates with the opening 5, while the opposite end of theopening terminates in a longitudinally-disposed groove 14, formed in theside of the member 1. The member 2 is provided with an angu-.

larly-disposed opening 15, the one end of which terminates in alongitudinally-disposed groove 16, said opening 15 being formed at thejuncture of the right-angular extension 4 and the shank 3 of the member2. The right-angular extension 4 is provided with an opening 17 abovethe lower end of the opening 15, and over the opening 17 is mounted anescutcheon-plate 18, while extending through said plate into the opening17 is a headed pin 19.

The line or wire 20 to be stretched is wound upon the spool or reel 7and the loose or free end of the wire passed through the opening 12 ofthe member 1 and along the groove 14 of said member. The end of the wireis then passed through the groove 16 and the opening 15 of the member 2and attached to the pin 19 of said member. a fence-wire is to bestretched between posts Assuming that 21, 22, and 23, the member 2 isplaced in en- 5 gagement with the post 23, while the member 1 is placedin engagement with the post 21. In so positioning the members the wireis unwound from the spool or reel 7, this being accomplished by movingthe lever 11 into enleasing said dog from engagement with the ratchet ortoothed wheel 8. After sufiicient wire has been played out to permit ofthe members 1 and 2 engaging the posts 21 and 23 the crank handle orlever 9 is rotated to stretch the wire 20, and when said wire has beenstretched it can be secured to the posts 21, 22, and 23 by staples 24 orthe like fastening means.

gagement with the resilient dog 10 and reobjects Without disfiguring thesame.

I do not care to confine myself to the material from which the members 1and 2 may be made, and such changes in the construction and operation ofmy improved stretcher as are permissible by the appended claims may beresorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.In a line-stretcher, the combination with an angular member recessed toreceive a spool, and having an angular passage and an edge groove forthe line, of a reel mounted within said recess, means for revolving saidspool, a locking device for said reel, and a second angular member alsoformed with an edge groove and an angular passage for the line, and adevice carried by said se'cond member for securing one end of the line.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

A. P. FERGUSON.

